


Carnal Bloom: Second Draft

by CeceRose



Series: Stranger Things Murder Mystery Scripts [4]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Horror, Implied/Referenced Terrorism, Murder Mystery, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 01:54:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21468124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeceRose/pseuds/CeceRose
Summary: Hopper is on cleanup duty the morning after an event at the local lake. Once there, he discovers a much bigger scandal.Revised Draft of the original "Carnal Bloom."
Relationships: Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper
Series: Stranger Things Murder Mystery Scripts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539118
Kudos: 3





	Carnal Bloom: Second Draft

**Author's Note:**

> This was a part of my application for an internship with Television Academy. It was the revised draft of the original scene. I think it's a lot better this time around.

FADE IN:

LAKE HAWKINS—MORNING

The actual water content of the lake is not yet shown, only the muddy bank and the dewdrop-covered reeds that line it. Trees and mountains surround the lake on all sides. In the far-off distance, a mountain lodge can be seen. A heavy mist falls upon the area. Down a dirt road leading to the lake, coming opposite the lodge, CHIEF JIM HOPPER’s police car pulls up. He steps out of the car and slams the door behind him. His boots make a heavy plodding across the dock. The deck boards creak beneath his weight until he stops at the end and leans over. Shot from the water looking up at Hopper’s confused face.

CUT TO:

STEVE HARRINGTON’s vehicle pulls up next to Hopper’s. Hopper stands at the entrance to the dock with his arms crossed, waiting for him. Steve exits the car and walks toward him, observing the scenery. The fog has since lifted, giving way for the sunlight to pour in. However, a few clouds cluster together over the horizon, signaling an oncoming storm.

HOPPER

You’re late. I thought you said you wouldn’t drink last night.

STEVE

I didn’t. It’s not that I’m hungover, that party was just really long.

His tone veers into indignant territory.

I kind of assumed I’d have the entire weekend to sleep in after that fiasco. But I guess not.

HOPPER

Sorry if you thought my calling you over was a rude awakening. Look over there.

Hopper motions to the dock. Steve walks to the edge and peers over. Shot from Steve’s perspective looking into the water. The entire lake’s water is bright green with algae. Steve is not expecting to be bombarded with such a bright color and immediately crunches his eyes closed. He slaps a hand over his face and stumbles a bit backward.

STEVE

What the hell happened to the water? It wasn’t like this last night, was it?

Hopper shakes his head.

HOPPER

It had to have been. It was just too dark to see. Are you sure you didn’t drink last night?

The younger man gets defensive.

STEVE

I didn’t touch a drop of alcohol, just like you said.

He looks back across the lake. When he speaks again, he stutters.

I just wasn’t expecting…

Hopper walks across the deck to join him at the end.

HOPPER

You weren’t expecting to have to deal with another one of these so soon?

He chuckles.

You should know better than that by now.

He gestures to the area beneath the dock.

And that’s not all. Look there.

There is a large lump completely submerged in the algae so that no inch of its surface can be seen. Beside it sits a small raft with strings of algae caught on it like cobwebs.

I’m gonna need your help in getting that thing out of the water.

STEVE

What is it?

HOPPER

We’re about to find out. I tried calling Mayor Mendes, but no one’s heard from him since last night.

Steve grabs onto one of the dock’s posts and swings his body beneath it, landing on the raft.

STEVE

Maybe he’s the one that’s been drinking.

He wobbles on the raft as it ripples beneath his weight, but he eventually gains his footing. Hopper tosses a pair of latex gloves down to him. He slips them on.

HOPPER

Let’s hope for the sake of the town he’s only been drinking and nothing else. Can you pull it out of the water?

Steve crouches down on the raft and grabs hold of the moss-covered mass. It drifts closer to the raft but refuses to be removed.

STEVE

Sorry, it won’t budge.

HOPPER

Hold on.

Hopper detaches a set of clippers from his belt. He throws them to Steve who catches them.

Maybe you can cut it loose.

Steve gets to work on trying to cut the strands of algae that conceal the large object. However, they are very thick and the moment he successfully cuts one clump of moss, more spring out from underneath. Steve looks up at what once was the cluster of clouds in the corner of the sky. They have now spread apart and are scattered in different places, some overcasting the sun. They are dark like storm clouds. Steve then notices a chilling breeze rustling the trees. He shivers inwardly.

STEVE

This might take a while, maybe we should come back later.

HOPPER

Why? I thought you were planning to do nothing all weekend.

Steve grimaces but says nothing. He can’t argue with the chief’s sound logic. Wide shot of the lake. Hopper’s silhouette stands at the end of the dock while Steve continues to plunge his clippers into the wiry, green mass. Pan up to the sky where the clouds continue to gather together, casting a shadow over the entire town.

CUT TO:

The long, bulky figure that resembles a log being dragged onto the dock. Hopper grips one end from the dock while Steve lifts the rest of it out of the lake. They drop it like a dead weight onto the deck boards. Once it is out of the water, the two get a closer look at it, completely unobscured. It is clear now that it is someone’s stiffened corpse. It is still covered in the thick, green mass of algae, wrapped up like a mummy. The pair wrinkle their noses at the rank stench of rotting flesh emanating from it. Holding back vomit, Steve stares at the gaping hole in the poor victim of circumstance’s abdomen. He shudders as he stares at his own arms, the lengths of which are stained green from having to hoist up such a large mass. Hopper’s brow is creased. Wide shot of the dock. Hopper stands while Steve sits. No one speaks for a long time.

STEVE

Was it in the lake all night? Did this happen last night at the party?

HOPPER

It had to be then. But we’ve tampered with the evidence.

He pauses for a beat and frowns before nodding to the clippers sitting on the deck boards.

Clear off the face.

Hesitantly and with shaking arms, Steve does as he’s told. Eventually the moss is cut away to reveal a chalk-white face with lifeless eyes that stare at nothing. Steve’s eyes widen and his jaw drops. He clambers clumsily backward on his hands. When Steve next speaks, his voice is horse.

STEVE

Well I guess now we know where the mayor is…

Slowly close in on the hole in MAYOR CARL MENDES’s chest.

FADE TO BLACK.


End file.
